Apparatus for concentrating ores.



W. M. SANDERS.` APPARATUS FOR GONGENTRATING GRES. ARPLIOATION FILEDMJA-3 2?. 1907.

11,077, A Patented Feb.2,f19o9.

ess, said process depending,

WALTER MURRAY SANDERS, OF MARION, KENTUC KY.

APARATS FOR CONCENTRATING CRES.

Specification oi' Letters atent.

Patented Feb. e, iooe.

- Application led March 27, 1907. Serial No. 364,907.

lTo all whom it may concern:

Be it known Vthat I, WALTER` MURRAY SANDERS, a citizeniof the UnitedStates, -residing at Marion, in the county of Crittenden and State ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Appa-Vratus for Conce-ntrating Ores,"of which the following is aspeciiication. v

This invention is an apparatus for concentrating ores by the so-called"flotation procas is Well un,

derstood, upon the capacity exhibited by r certain solutions for raisingor elevating cer` tain mineralparticles, notably zinc sulfid.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple andinexpensiveapparatus, having a large capacity and a high Workingefficiency.

For a full understanding of the inventionreference is made to theaccompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view of apreferred form of apparatus; and Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same. C

Referring to the figures, 1 represents a tank, preferably cylindrical inform, provided with a hopper 2 `through which the ore to be concentratedis to be introduced in a suitably divided'form, thev hopper preferablycommunicating with the tank at a 'point 34 near the base of the latter.

4 indicates a solution'inlet pipe, shown as arranged near the peripheryof the tank. A

central discharge aperture 6 is provided for the tailings, controlled bya valve 7.

A shaft 8, vertically mounted in the center of the tank inupper andlouper bearings 9, 10, carries atv its upper `endv a pulley 11. -Se.fcured to the lower portion of the shaft 8 are two or more arms 12,carrying rakes or blades 13 so' dis osed as to impart a whirling motionto the so ution and also to transfer such portions of the ore as are notelevated by the solution from the periphery to tnefcenter of the tank. Asteam pipe 14 is so disposed in the bottom of the tank as to evenly heatthe solution therein.

15 represents'an 'overflow pipe for the solution, together with theconcentrate or such mineral components as rise'to the surface of thesolution. 1.

The operation of the apparatus will be described byreference to aspecific example, it being understood, however, that the apparatus maybeemployed for the treatment of any suitable ore or concentrate by meansof any solution capable of elevating certain of the mineralconstituents. Assuming that the ore contains as its principalmetal-bearing constituents the minerals sphalerite and galeria, it ischarged in a state of fine division through the hopper 2, the tankhaving been previously filled with a suitable solution, as, forinstance, a noneacid solution as described vin my Patent 805,382, issuedNovember 21, V1905. The arms 12 carrying the blades 13 being rotated inthe direction indicated by the arrow, will thoroughly agita-te and distribute the charge, and at the same time u` ill transfer such portions"as are not elevated to the central discharge 6; the sphalerite in themeantime rises to the surface of the solution and is discharged from thevessel through the overflow pipe 15. Solution is admitted at 4 involumesuiiicient to effect the continuous discharge of the concentrate throughthe overflow.

vThe rotating rakes or blades 13 perform a triple function as'follows;first, to thoroughly agitato' the ore; second, to carry that portionofthe ore which does not rise to 'the surface of the solution to thetailings discharge the solution, as a result of which there isa slightcavitation at the center of the surface, which causes the particleswhich have been elevated to pass at once to the overflow pipe 15. Underthose-conditions the floatingl particles are much more rapidlydischarged and their liability to subsidence is correspondinglydecreased, thus greatly increasing the eiiciency of the operation. Thecombined effect is to render the operation highly efficient, not' lessthan 95 per c ent.4 of the zine sul- 'fid in the original ore 'beingdischarged through the pipe 15 under favorable conditions. ,e

lt has been found that certain ores exhibit so .l'iigh a degree ofactivity as to render it difficult to food them at a sufficient ratothrough the ho'ppcr 2; in such cases it is advisable to introducel apart or all of the solution through the hopper together udth the ore,inc-ans .therefor being indicated indotted lines at 4 in Fig. 1.. v 'Ido not limit myself to the' mechzniiral means shown for imparting awhirling niovtion to therliquid and for transferring the tailings to thecentral discharge.

The outlet 15 may be disposed centrally in the tank 1, encircling theshaft 8.

6;` and third, to impart a whirling motion to I claim 1. Apparatus forconcentrating ore by flotation, comprising a tank having means forintroducing .ore and solution below the nor- Inal li uid surface, acentral discharge gate for tai ings, 'a substantially central overflowfor concentrate, and means for imparting a Whirlin motion to the liquidin the tank, substantially as described.

2. Apparatus for concentrating ore by ilotation, comprising a tankhaving means for introducing ore and solution below the normal liquidsurface, a central discharge gate for tallings, a substantially centraloverflow for concentrate, and amechanical agitator constructed to imparta whirling motion to the transfer the tailings to said central dischargegate, substantially as described.

pparatus for concentrating ore bv ilo- 2 tation, comprism a tank havingmeans for introducing ore an solution below the normal .li uid surface,a Vdischarge gate for tailings, a substantially central overflow forconcentrate, and means for heating the contents olz 2 the tank,substantially as described.

In testimony'7 whereof, l aiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WALTER MURRAY SANDERS. Witnesses:

R. L. MOORE, O. S. MANN.`

